There was a time in the United Kingdom when there was some form of honour among thieves. Certain things were simply off limits but that died years ago.

Working in an administrative role at a funeral directors in the 1970's the tide had already begun to turn.

Death notices or obituaries posted in what my Mum would call the 'hatch, match and dispatch' classified section of newspapers, more commonly called births, deaths and marriages, no longer included addresses. Family members of those that did include the address of the deceased often arrived back home after the funeral to find the place emptied.

When my husband worked as part of a security team at an NH.S hospital in the 1980's and 1990's standards had slipped even further.

I was shocked when he returned home one night and told me about a shameful attempted robbery. A couple of 'scallies' had been caught pretending to be family visiting a semi-conscious patient but had actually been stealing anything they could get their hands on in the patient's sick room.

When my Aunt, already widowed and with no children herself, suffered a stroke, her meagre council home was wrecked and her limited possessions stolen as she lay dying in hospital.

Working myself at N.H.S. hospitals, pre-retirement a couple of years ago, caution was the order of the day. By now few people could be trusted and you had to wonder what had brought about such a backward change in society.

Perhaps the fact that Cilla Black's home is located in the fairly wealthy English county of Buckinghamshire is one reason an attempted post-death robbery is shocking. The Daily Mirror reports;

Cilla Black's son has revealed cruel burglars attempted to target the late star's family home. Robert, 45, revealed the plot to break into the 72-year-old's Buckinghamshire home in a statement today, just hours after an inquest into her death was concluded. A professionally cut circular hole was discovered in the perimeter fence of her Denham home, ahead of her funeral next week. Robert Willis, her eldest son, said: "I cannot believe someone would stoop so low at a time like this. It's inconceivable. Thankfully it was discovered in time."

Sadly Robert I can.

In 1995 a local couple became two of the first big lottery winners in the U.K. As they were celebrating the win in London thieves broke into their home and stole jewellery with extra sentimental value.

The couple were called Terry and Brenda Benson and Mr. Benson said in 1995 "These people are just low-life. I would call them animals but animals are better than that. Animals are nice. The burglary could have happened any time to anyone - rich and poor - but to come back to this is just horrendous."

Following the failed robbery at Cilla's former Buckinghamshire home 24-hour security has been stepped up and all valuables have been removed and placed in a secret, secure location.

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